Mail-bag catcher.



PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

G. W. WALKER.

' MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4,1904.

Inventr Attorneys UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFicE.

. MAIL-BAG CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No: 787,651, dated April 18, 1905. Application filed November 4, 1904 Serial No. 231,406.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, GEORGE WASHINGTON \VALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Alb'ans, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Mail-Bag Catcher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for receiving mail-bags delivered from railway mailcars while in motion, more particularly for receiving the bags thrown from the car, and has for its object to improve theconstruction and increase the efliciency of devices of this character.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, as various changes in the shape, proportions, and general assemblage of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the drawings thus employed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device complete. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation.

The improved device is designed for erection and operation adjacent to the path of the mail-car andconsists of asupporting-frame 10 in sash-like form and mounted for vertical movement between guides in the inner faces of spaced posts 11 12, so that the sash-frame and its attachments may be adjusted to the passing car-or elevated above the heads of the drivers of passing teams when not in use; The frame 10 may be operated in any suitable manner, such as by a cord 13, leading over guide= sheaves 14 to a Windlass 15., the latter having an operating-crank 16 and pawl and ratchet 17 18. By this means the frame and its attachments' may be adjusted and held at any desired point betweenthe posts 11 12, as will be obvious.

The frame 10 is provided with a receptacle for the mail-bags formed of spaced bars 19, curving at the lower ends and connected to a rod 20, extending between end members 21 22, projecting from the sides,of the frame 10, the bars 19 being extended upwardly upon the frame 10 to form an elevated rear 23 to the receptacle. Extending longitudinally of the receptacle and in alinement with its upper side are guide members or wings 2 1 25, and mounted to swing upon the rod 20 is another .wing member formed of spaced rods 26, connected into a head 27, extending longitudinally of the receptacle. The swinging wing member when in outward position, as in Fig. 1, and in full lines, as in Fig. 2, stands outwardly inclined from the receptacle and forms an extension of the same which may be folded over above the receptacle when not in use, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Extending from the swinging wing member are spaced fingers 28, which project across the interior of the receptacle, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2,to receive the mail when delivered to the receptacle and to deposit the same into the receptacle when the wing is thrown into its inward position, as shown in Fig. 2 in dotted lines. When the mail-bag is to be removed from the receptacle, the fingers 27 materially assist in this action.

The posts 11 12 will be so erected relative to the railway-tracks that the outer face of the passing mail-car will run relatively close to the outer edge of the swinging wing member when distended, and when the device is to be used the swinging wing is extended and the receptacle adjusted vertically to bring the free edge of the swinging wing just below the line of the floor of the passing car, and then when the mail-bag is thrown or otherwise delivered from the car it will be received upon the fingers 28, which will be depressed by the impact imparted to 'the bag and thrown clownward into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and also throwingthe swinging wing member over into the position shown in dotted lines in the same figure and removes the swinging wing far enough from the remaining cars of the train to avoid contact therewith. The mail-bag can then be removed from the receptacle and the latter elevated out of the way until again required.

The lateral guide-wings 24 25 are an important feature of the invention, as they provide chutes to assist in guiding the bags into the receptacle and extending in opposite dlrections are operative in connection with the car when coming from either direction, which is important upon single-track hnes, as Wlll be obvious.

The receptacle may be of any desired size or capacity and constructed of any desired material.

. From the foregoing description it will be noted that the bars 19 constitute a guard to prevent a mail-bag from passing beyond the receptacle should it be overthrown, while the fingers 28 constitute a trip located inthepath of a bag entering the receptacle, the trip being connected to the closure formed by the bars 26 to automatically close the same after the entrance of the bag, and thereby prevent the latter from rebounding out of the receptacle. Inthis connection it will be understood that when the bag is in the receptacle it lies against the trip 28, and thereby prevents the closure from springing open, and it also constitutes an elevating device for lifting the bag out of the receptacle by the operation of opening the closure 26.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is* 1. In a mail-bag-catching device, a receptacle disposedfor receiving the mail-bag from a moving car and provided with an elevated rear side.

2. In a mail-bag-catching device, a receptacle disposed for receiving the mail-bag from a moving car and a wing member mounted to swing from theouter edge of the receptacle for temporarily increasing the width of the same.

3. In a mail-bag-catching device, a receptacle disposed for receiving the mail-bag from a moving car and a wing member'moun-ted to swing from the outer edge of the receptacle 4. A mail-bag catchercomprising a recepta cle having an open top, a guard rising above the rear side of the open top, a cover hinged to the front of the open top, and a trip carried by the cover and disposed across the open top of the receptacle in the path of a bag enteringv the latter to close the closure.

5. In a mail-bag-catching device, a receptacle mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of the mail-car, and a wing member mounted to swing from the outer edgeof the receptacle for temporarily increasing the width of the same.

6. In a mail-bag-catching device, a receptacle disposed for receiving the mail-bag from y a moving car and a wing member mounted to swing from the outer edge of the receptacle for temporarily increasing the width of the same, and spaced fingers extending from said swinging wing transversely of said receptacle and' partaking of the motion of said swinging wing.

9. In a mail-bag-catching device, a recepta- I cle mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of the mail-car and with the rear side elevated, and a wing member mounted to swing from the outer edge of the receptacle, said wing member having spaced fingers extenlding therefrom transversely of the receptac e.

10. Inamail-bag-catchingdevice; areceptait cle disposed for receiving the mail-bag from a moving car and provided with an elevated rear side and longitudinally-extending wings, and with a wing member mounted to swing from the forward side and provided with spaced fingers extending transversely of said receptacle.

11. In amail-bag-catching device, areceptacle disposed for receiving the mail-bag from IOC a moving car and a wing member mounted to 1 swing from the outer edge of the receptacle for temporarily increasing the width of the same and provided with spaced fingers extending therefrom transversely of the receptacle, and a stop carried by said receptacle for limiting the outward movement of said swinging wing.

12. In a mail-bag-catching device, a receptacle disposed for receiving the mail-bag from IIO a moving car and provided with an elevated 7 rear side, longitudinally-extending wings, and

a wing mounted to swing from the forward side of the receptacle and provided with spaced fingers extendingtransversely of the receptacle when the swinging wing is in extended position. I I

13. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, and a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car and partaking of the movement of the frame and provided with wings extending longitudinally of said receptacle and beyond the sides of the frame.

14. In a mail-bag-catching device,-a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the patlrof a mail-car, and a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car and partaking of the movement of the frame and elevated at the rear side.

15. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bagsdelivered from said car and partaking of the movement of the frame, and provided with a wing swinging from the forward side of the same.

16. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car and partaking of the movement of the frame and elevated at the rear side and provided with wings extending longitudinally of the same and beyond the sides of the frame, and a wing mounted to swing from the forward side of the receptacle and having spaced fingers extending therefrom transversely of the receptacle.

17. In a mail-bag-catching device spaced vertical guides adjacent to the path of the mail-car, a frame mounted for movement between said guide members, and a receptacle for the mail-bags delivered from the moving car connected to said frame and partaking of its movements.

18. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car consisting of end members extending from the sides of the frame and connected at the forward ends by a transverse rod, and a plurality of spaced bars connected by one end to said rod and curving downwardly and rearwarclly and thence upwardly and connected by their other ends to said frame above the line of said rod.

19. In a mail bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car consisting of end members extending from the sides of the frame and connected at the forward ends by a transverse rod, a plurality of spaced bars connected by one end to said rod and curving downwardly and rearwardly and thence upwardly and connected by their other ends to said frame above the line of said rod, and wings extending in opposite directions from said end members.

20. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car consisting of end members extending from the sides of the frame and connected at the forward ends by a transverse rod, a plurality of spaced bars connected by one end to said rod and curving downwardly and rearwardly and thence upwardly and connected by their other ends to said frame above the line of said rod, and a bar member mounted to swing upon said transverse rod and provided with a wing member extending therefrom and adapted for projection forwardly of said receptacle to increase the width of the same temporarily.

21. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car consisting of end members extending from the sides of the frame and connected at the forward ends by a transverse rod, a plurality of spaced bars connected by one end to said rod and curving downwardly and rearwardly and thence upwardly and connected by their other ends to said frame above the line of said rod, and a barmember mounted to swing upon said transverserod and provided with a wing member extending therefrom and adapted for projection forwardly of said receptacle to increase the width of the same temporarily and with spaced fingers extending transversely of said receptacle and partaking of the motion of the swinging wing.

22. In a mail-bag-catching device, a supporting-frame mounted for vertical movement adjacent to the path of a mail-car, a receptacle for receiving the mail-bags delivered from said car consisting of end members extending from the sides of the frame and connected at the forward ends by a transverse rod, a plurality of spaced bars connected by one end to said rod and curving downwardly and rearwardly and thence upwardly and connected by their other ends to said frame above the line of said rod, a bar member mounted to swing upon said transverse rod and provided with a wing member extending therefrom and adapted for projection forwardly of said receptacle to increase the width of the same temporarily and with spaced fingers extending transverselyof said receptacle and partaking of the motion of the swinging wing, and a stop member extending between said end members for limiting the outward movement of said swinging member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hai e hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WASHINGTON 'WA LKER,

Witnesses:

W. G. BEANE, IV. E. BEANE.

IlO 

